DEPARTMENT: Office of University Advancement
REPORTS TO: Assistant Vice President for University Advancement
WORK SCHEDULE: Fully on campus
Position Summary:
Point Park University seeks a personable, tech-forward professional who loves higher education and thrives on building meaningful relationships.
The Donor Relations Officer is a frontline fundraising and stewardship professional responsible for engaging alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff in support of the University's mission and priorities. This role manages a portfolio of annual giving prospects and donors, leads scholarship stewardship and outreach initiatives, and supports comprehensive annual giving strategies designed to grow philanthropic investment.
This position plays a key role in strengthening donor retention and long-term engagement through strategic stewardship, meaningful scholarship management, and data-informed outreach. The successful candidate will combine relationship-building skills with operational excellence and technology fluency to elevate the donor experience and contribute to the continued growth of the Advancement team.
This is an excellent opportunity for a motivated professional seeking growth within a collaborative, forward-thinking Advancement office.
Key Responsibilities Annual Giving & Fundraising Strategy - Partner with the AVP to plan and execute a comprehensive annual giving strategy, including direct mail, digital appeals, texting, phone outreach, giving days, events, and social media campaigns.
- Manage a portfolio of annual giving prospects and donors, executing identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies.
- Analyze donor data and segmentation trends to inform outreach strategies and optimize results.
- Serve as an advocate for annual giving initiatives across campus.
Scholarship Process Management & Strategic Outreach - Oversee the full lifecycle management of endowed and current-use scholarships in collaboration with Financial Aid, Academic leadership, and Advancement staff.
- Coordinate scholarship agreements, donor criteria documentation, compliance requirements, and internal approvals.
- Lead annual scholarship outreach processes, including recipient communications, donor impact reporting, and thank-you letter collection.
- Facilitate meaningful engagement opportunities between scholarship donors and recipients when appropriate.
- Leverage scholarship stewardship as a strategic donor retention tool to deepen relationships and increase future giving.
- Maintain accurate scholarship documentation and activity tracking within the CRM system.
Donor Relations & Stewardship - Help design and implement a university-wide donor relations and stewardship strategy that ensures consistent recognition and engagement at all giving levels.
- Draft compelling donor communications, impact reports, acknowledgments, and recognition materials.
- Manage stewardship tracking processes to enhance donor satisfaction and increase the likelihood of continued contributions.
- Contribute donor and gift information for annual reports and other publications.
Collaboration & Leadership Development - Collaborate with Advancement colleagues to plan events, develop invitation lists, draft scripts and remarks, and coordinate donor recognition elements.
- Manage multi-phase projects from concept to execution while balancing multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Supervise and mentor practicum students and work-study students as assigned.
- Engage in professional development opportunities to support continued growth within Advancement.
- Maintain strict confidentiality and uphold the highest ethical standards.
- Perform additional duties and special projects as assigned.
Qualifications - Bachelor's degree required.
- 3-5 years of experience in fundraising, development, sales, marketing, or relationship management preferred.
- Experience in higher education or advancement strongly preferred.
Preferred Skills & Experience - Demonstrated success in relationship building, sales, or donor stewardship.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Exceptional organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
- Experience with CRM systems, prospect research, segmentation strategies, and data analysis.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint.
- Comfort leveraging technology and digital engagement tools to enhance outreach efforts.
Core Competencies - Results-oriented with the ability to identify high-impact opportunities and prioritize effectively.
- Adaptable and open to innovation and new ideas.
- Collegial, professional, and enthusiastic in interactions with faculty, staff, students, and donors.
- Committed to advancing the University's mission and delivering an exceptional student experience.
- Demonstrates ethical judgment and integrity aligned with University policies and values.
